


Let's Not Mention This

by SifaShep



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27436324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SifaShep/pseuds/SifaShep
Summary: This happens in very early ME1, during the Normandy's mission to retrieve Liara from Therum. The original Tumblr prompt was "How about we never mention this again?"  Shepard protects Tali from harm, and is there something between them, even here?If Shepard could have romanced Tali in ME1, he would have. He ended up with Liara instead, with Tali in ME2 and ME3.
Relationships: Male Shepard/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya
Kudos: 14





	Let's Not Mention This

**“How about we just never mention this again?”**

“Uh….” Shepard lay facedown on her, not moving, and trying _not_ to think about how her body felt under his. He’d acted by reflex when he saw the grenade fly over the barricade, too close for them to avoid or run. He’d thrown himself on her, and shielded her just as it exploded. The dirt and debris rained on his armor as the ground shook around them.

And even when the shockwave had dissipated, he found that he didn’t want to get up, and for once, he didn’t have a glib reply for her.  
  
He knew he should get up. He could hear more grenades explode, more than one of them too close for his comfort. Debris still flew through the air and superheated gas bathed their faces, even through their helmets. Therum was already a ticking time bomb; the longer they stayed here, the worse it would get. They needed to get Doctor T'Soni back to the Normandy before the mercs _or_ the planet killed them all.  
  
Oddly enough, he wasn't thinking about _T'Soni's_ safety right now. Strange.

“Shepard…”

She managed to look up at him. Damn, she was blushing behind her helmet. He could almost _feel_ her face burning. It matched the blush on his own cheeks. Her heart hammered in her chest, just like his did in his own. Of course, they'd just avoided being blown to bits. The ground trembled beneath them, a not so gentle reminded that they should _move_. Instead, Shepard just stared into those mysterious eyes behind the barrier.

Something passed between them, something that both embarrassed and thrilled him at the same time.

He finally managed to say something coherent. “You okay? Your suit–?

“I don’t think it was punctured, I'm already running a self-diagnostic..." She cut her own rambling off and put a hand on his arm "Are _you_ all right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.” He forced himself to move off her and offered his hand. She used it to pull herself to her feet. Tali’s glowing eyes still gazed at him through her helmet.

Then Garrus’s laconic voice interrupted them, “You two lovebirds done gawking at each other? Need a little help here.”  
  
Shepard blushed harder. He looked over as Liara finally located the bridge leading up to the surface. The Normandy waited for them.   
  
"Come on." He urged Tali to go in front of him. Garrus gave him a look of curiosity, but this wasn't the time or the place to discuss this. In fact, Shepard wasn't sure if he even _wanted_ to discuss it. Ever.  
  
"Do me a favor and don't mention this."  
  
Garrus closed his mouth with a click. He only nodded, but Shepard thought he saw the hint of wry smile.


End file.
